EV World: Green dreams, dirty truths

The hypocrisy of the electric vehicle market

Electric vehicles have become the poster child of the climate crusade — wrapped in buzzwords, propped up by politicians and paraded by automakers as the cure-all for environmental sin.

But scratch the surface of the glossy marketing, and what you’ll find isn’t a clean revolution — it’s a messy patchwork of half-truths, political theatre and economic protectionism.

For the aftermarket, distributors and OEMs, the time for blind optimism is over. EVs aren’t the fix-all fantasy they’ve been sold as. They’re a tool — one being wielded with more agenda than evidence.

How green are EVs really?

The heart of every EV is its battery, and manufacturing these batteries is anything but clean. Mining for lithium, cobalt, and nickel leaves deep environmental scars.

Lithium extraction alone consumes 500,000 gallons of water per metric ton, with operations in Chile’s Atacama Desert depleting up to 65 per cent of the region’s water. Cobalt, sourced predominantly from the Democratic Republic of Congo, is linked not only to ecological damage but also to labour exploitation. Nickel mining in Southeast Asia contributes to acid runoff and deforestation.

According to Volvo’s life cycle analysis, producing an EV creates up to 70 per cent more emissions than an ICE vehicle, largely due to the battery. It takes up to 70,000 miles of driving for an EV to break even with a gas-powered vehicle in emissions terms.

Still, not all EVs are created equal. OEMs are making strides in battery tech. Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries — used increasingly by BYD and Tesla — are more stable, longer lasting and avoid cobalt entirely. Sodium-ion batteries, now entering pilot production in China, offer even greater sustainability potential. These innovations deserve attention, but for now, they remain exceptions rather than the rule.

Tesla owns the hype. China owns the future

Tesla dominates headlines but the real innovation in EVs isn’t coming from California — it’s coming from China. Brands like BYD, Zeekr, NIO, Xpeng and Geely are setting new global benchmarks. While the Tesla Model 3 starts at US$40,000 and offers 272 miles of range, the Zeekr 001 delivers up to 462 miles with a more refined cabin — at a similar price.

So why aren’t these vehicles in North American driveways? Because they’re too competitive. The U.S. shields its market with 100 per cent tariffs and regulatory barriers — not to protect consumers, but to protect Tesla. Canada implanted similar action soon after the U.S.

And the gap isn’t just in range. According to J.D. Power and CarNewsChina, Chinese EVs now lead in interior finish, infotainment and ADAS. Many offers ultra-lux interiors with ambient lighting, Nappa leather and panoramic AI-powered dashboards. NIO’s NOMI assistant makes Tesla’s voice control feel dated. Xpeng’s City NGP system outperforms Tesla’s FSD beta in dense urban traffic.

In a fair fight, Tesla wouldn’t be the standard. It would be trying to catch up.

The infrastructure illusion

Tesla sold 1.8 million EVs globally in 2023. Sounds impressive — until you realize Toyota sold 3.5 million hybrids worldwide in the same year. Hybrids deliver high efficiency, low emissions and zero infrastructure headaches.

EV adoption in North America is fundamentally limited by geography and electrical standards. Europe’s dense cities and 220V grid make Level 2 charging accessible from any household outlet. North America? We’re stuck at 120V unless homeowners pay thousands to upgrade.

Public charging networks are growing, but not fast enough to support long-range travel across vast geographies.

Charging takes time — 30 to 40 minutes for fast charging (if you’re lucky), hours at home. Compare that to the convenience of a hybrid or plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and the supposed “ease” of EVs starts to look less convincing.

Europe’s EV reality check

The EU, once a champion of EV mandates, is pulling back. The UK pushed its ICE ban from 2030 to 2035, citing infrastructure and affordability gaps. Germany eliminated EV subsidies in 2024, causing a 65 per cent drop in sales in January 2025. France is tightening foreign EV incentives. Even Norway and the Netherlands are slowing rollouts.

The message is clear: EV goals are outpacing practical realities.

The North American hypocrisy

Politicians say EVs are about saving the environment. But if that’s true, why block superior foreign EVs from entering the market? If affordability and emissions are priorities, then BYD’s seal should be lining Canadian and American roads.

But that’s not how the system works. Politics is driven by special interests. Votes come from jobs, and jobs are tied to union-backed OEMs. High tariffs on Chinese EVs protect incumbents — not consumers.

As someone who lobbied MPs on right-to-repair issues during my time on the AIA Canada board, I witnessed this disconnect firsthand. Many lawmakers didn’t understand the basics of our industry. A staffer for then-Minister Philippe Champagne even told us that unless our story was media-friendly, he wouldn’t allocate time.

This is a $44 billion Canadian industry supporting 500,000 jobs — and it barely registers in Ottawa.

The EV push isn’t being led by data. It’s driven by narrative — and that narrative is political, not environmental.

The real opportunity for the aftermarket

The aftermarket is scrambling to pivot. Everyone’s focused on HV battery replacements — US$15,000 to US$20,000 repair order. But beyond that, there’s a long list of high-margin components already starting to fail on aging EVs: Onboard chargers, large drive units (LDUs), AC compressors and power electronics.

Thankfully, pioneers are stepping up. SEG Automotive, a Bosch spin-off, is developing remanufacturing solutions for LDUs and electric motors. In Norway, EV Hub is offering diagnostic tools that estimate the remaining lifespan of HV components — bringing transparency to predictive maintenance. Dorman Products continues to expand its portfolio with EV-compatible actuators, window regulators and control modules.

This is where the real opportunity lies. The first wave of EVs is aging fast. The smart players will monetize the failure curve while the rest of the industry plays catch-up.

A rational consumer’s view

As a practical consumer, I’d take a plug-in hybrid over a full EV. You get the best of both worlds — electric efficiency without the wait time or infrastructure hassle.

Technically, PHEVs preserve battery health better than traditional hybrids. Larger battery packs mean less stress per cycle. Controlled overnight charging helps rebalance cells. Many PHEVs have better thermal management systems as well. Unlike traditional hybrids that charge through regenerative braking, PHEVs offer stable, predictable energy input. Just remember — if you don’t plug them in, you’re dragging around dead weight.

When used properly, PHEVs are the most balanced and cost-effective choice on the road today.

Final take

EVs are not a silver bullet. They’re a political instrument wrapped in green marketing. Yes, innovation is happening — LFP batteries, sodium-ion chemistries, new reman pathways. But these advances are being drowned out by narratives crafted more for headlines than hardware.

The aftermarket must evolve — but not blindly. It needs to understand where the real failures will emerge, where the margins are and who the innovators are.

The system is broken, yes, but not beyond repair. For those bold enough to think critically, challenge assumptions, and build smarter solutions, there’s still time to lead.

The cracks are showing. The question is: Who’s going to drive through them before everyone else wakes up?

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Derek Suen, MBA, is an automotive aftermarket professional with 15 years of experience, specializing in product research for high-demand parts. With a background in both manufacturing and distribution, he brings deep insight into customer needs across North American and European markets.

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of EV World